The invention relates to a storage and/or order collection or order picking system. The invention furthermore relates to a method for storing articles, particularly including order picking.
Storage and order picking systems are among others used in wholesale businesses, such as the trade in (spare) parts, and in retail businesses, such as apothecaries and supermarket delivery services.
An example of such a system is shown and described elaborately in applicant's International patent application PCT/NL2010/000015.
Said document describes a storage device with means for storing the articles and/or retrieving articles from storage, comprising a frame having a first series of mutually parallel elongated storage sections, preferably positioned in a column set-up, that extend between a first end and a second end of the frame, furthermore comprising a number of holders, such as carriers, for the articles, wherein the storage sections are provided with holder supports on which a number of the holders can be supported for storage of the articles, wherein at the first end and the second end of the frame first and second platforms, respectively, have been arranged which each are adapted for accommodating at least one holder, and first movement means for moving said platforms, preferably simultaneously, from the one storage section to another storage section, wherein the device is provided with second movement means for in a main direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the storage section in question, horizontally moving one or more holders from the platform at the first end of the frame to the holder supports of a selected storage section while moving the holders on the selected storage section and moving one or more holders, preferably representing a same holder length, from the selected storage section to the platform at the second end of the frame, and vice versa. In case of storing an article, said article with holder can be taken into the selected storage section and in case of retrieving a wanted article from storage, said article can be taken with holder out of the storage section in question. In addition a holder loaded with an article can be present on the one platform and an empty holder on the other platform.